defender Bryan Namoff for a second bookable offense after a hard tackle on Herron, then Josh Gros with a straight red after a late challenge on Thiago.
At Giants Stadium, both the Red Bulls and Crew came into the match knowing that only the full three points would likely suffice, if either side was going to pull itself out of the bottom two in the Eastern Conference and punch their ticket for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
Over the opening 82 minutes though, the story was referee Baldomero Toledo, who sent off three players. In the 20th minute he issued marching orders to Crew winger Joseph Ngwenya for a high kick to Seth Stammler's side.
In the 59th minute, Toledo seemed to have again given the Red Bulls the opening they were looking for, ruling Chris Leitch handled a cross in the area. But Crew 'keeper Bill Gaudette dove to his right to push away Youri Djorkaeff's attempt from the spot.
Then in the 63rd minute it was Mike Magee who was red carded for an apparent left-handed punch to Kei Kamara just two minutes after both players entered the game, leaving both sides down a man.
But eight minutes later the Crew were again left shorthanded after Toledo showed a straight red card to defender Marcos Gonzalez in the 71st minute for a right elbow that bloodied John Wolyniec.
Wolyniec came off for Josmir Altidore three minutes later, and in the 83rd minute the 16-year-old -- who had played all of nine minutes in league play before the game -- hit for a wonder goal. Receiving the ball from Stammler, Altidore ran into space up the center of the park and beat Gaudette with a wicked rising drive from all of 30 yards.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
